A year ago contractor GRAHAM began work on an £81.1m contract to prepare 26 acres of the Liverpool Waters site for the construction of up to 2,350 new homes and now landowner Peel issues an update on progress. Tony McDonough reports
Property giant Peel has offered an update on progress on £81.1m of infrastructure works taking place at Central Docks in Liverpool Waters.
Comprising 26 acres, Central Docks will be the location of up to 2,350 new homes, a new park and public realm as well as space for restaurants, bars and other leisure amenities. Contractor GRAHAM started work on the project one year ago.
These works are costing £81.1m with £55.2m coming from Government-backed agency Home England with £25.9m from Peel.
Since works began, teams have excavated, processed and repurposed approximately 78,000 sq metres of material across the site, installed almost 20 kilometres of utility ducting, delivered around 2.7 kilometres of drainage infrastructure, constructed bridge foundations and installed significant new highways and public realm.
More than 1,640 metres of kerbing and 1,400 sq metres of paving have already been completed, while over 1,300 tonnes of historic dockside cobbles, equivalent to the weight of around 170 double-decker buses, have been recovered for reuse across the development.
Central Docks sits at the centre of the wider Liverpool Waters masterplan and will be anchored by the future five-acre Central Park. The park will be designed around a series of connected zones.
These range from seating overlooking the canal and heritage-salvaged features, to open lawn social spaces, play provision for children aged three to 15, sports courts, parkour equipment for teenagers, and event spaces.
At the centre of the park will be a new café pavilion, offering indoor and outdoor seating and providing a hub for community activity, with the flexibility to host events, gatherings and seasonal programming throughout the year.
More than 3,000 new trees are to be planted across Central Docks, alongside planting, shaded seating, dog-friendly areas.
Along the emerging waterfront routes, more than 650 square metres of reclaimed cobbles have already been laid along Dock Wall Walk, alongside new paving, landscaping infrastructure and tree pits to create attractive pedestrian routes.
Infrastructure works are now creating development-ready plots. Peel Waters is engaging with developers, investors, registered providers and funders to bring forward a mix of homes including private sale, build-to-rent, affordable and retirement homes.
In partnership with the City of Liverpool College and other industry partners, GRAHAM has offered apprenticeships, student placements and careers engagement activities.
Chris Capes, Liverpool Waters development, said: “We’re seeing real and substantial progress on the ground across what is the largest neighbourhood within Liverpool Waters.
“Projects of this scale start with the infrastructure that people don’t always see, but it is this investment that makes everything else possible.”
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While the enabling works have progressed at Central Docks, momentum has continued across the wider Liverpool Waters development with new developments at Princes Dock including a 31-storey residential tower and a floating sauna and padel courts.
Alastair Lewis GRAHAM contracts director added: “In our first year on site, we have installed almost 20 kilometres of utility ducting, laid 2.7 kilometres of drainage, and completed the foundations for new bridge structures.
“This vital work is transforming former docklands into development-ready sites, creating the infrastructure needed to support the delivery of approximately 2,350 new homes.”